Extreme heat, drought, wildfires, and flooding, as experienced in recent years, will worsen in Europe even under optimistic global warming scenarios and affect living conditions throughout the continent. The EEA has published the first ever European Climate Risk Assessment (EUCRA) to help identify policy priorities for climate change adaptation and for climate-sensitive sectors. According to the assessment,...
Dubai’s glitzy skyline was obscured by a blanket of smog rated as “unhealthy” on Sunday as thousands of delegates attended the fourth day of the COP28 summit, which was designated as “health” day and where topics of discussion include air quality and the unhealthy affects of climate change. Police said about 20,000 people protested in the...
Toxic pollutants released during gas flaring are endangering millions more people than previously feared, a BBC investigation suggests. Flaring – the burning of waste gas during oil drilling – is taking place across the Gulf, including by COP28 hosts the United Arab Emirates. New research suggests pollution is spreading hundreds of miles, worsening air quality...
This year, world leaders gathering in the UAE to take stock of their climate commitments will for the first time engage in official programming focused on health. We, the signatories of this letter, support your leadership in bringing health front and center at COP28. As global health leaders, we are committed to achieving health and...
More than 40 “flesh-eating” infections have been identified in Florida this year amid record-high water temperatures in the North Atlantic. The bacterium Vibrio vulnificus, which thrives in warm seawater, has killed ten people in the state this year out of 43 infections, giving an estimated case fatality of 23 per cent. Experts have noted a concerning rise...
12 Most Polluted Countries 2023: Breathing Heavy. Environmental pollution is a pressing global issue that poses significant health risks and ecological challenges. Unfortunately, there are countries around the world that face particularly high levels of pollution. From air pollution to water contamination, these nations struggle to combat the detrimental effects of environmental degradation. In this...
There has been much discussion about the impacts of climate change on migration, with calls that the world is entering an ‘era of mass migration’ and ‘unimaginable crisis’. Many communities in the Pacific are increasingly feeling the pressure of climate change including on livelihoods, food security and health. But the impact on migration is less clear. The Pacific is...
Why older people are some of those worst affected by climate change. While we are all affected to some extent by extreme weather, it is older adults. Especially older women and those with disabilities, who tend to be the most vulnerable. Their struggle is partly determined by age but also by pre-existing health conditions, mental wellbeing, and social and...
Climate change may worsen the spread of the West Nile virus. What to know. The West Nile virus is more commonly contracted in warmer climates. There, hot and tropical temperatures allow the mosquitoes that carry it to thrive. Health experts are increasingly concerned that climate change could worsen the spread of the virus in less...
We’re living in a pivotal moment in history, on the cusp of either sinking into a dark period of growing poverty, accelerating ecological destruction, and worsening conflict, or moving forward to a new age of equity, sustainability, and stewardship of the only planet in the universe where we know life exists. I believe a positive...